Music: Phantom Limb

Bristol’s Phantom Limb mix poignancy with sensuality

Led by the charismatic Yolanda Quartey and featuring Massive Attack collaborator Stew Jackson among their ranks, this Bristol five-piece have just released their second album, In The Pines, follow up to their self-titled 2008 debut. Possessing a powerful, soulful, and deeply impressionistic voice, Yolanda and her brilliant band of musicians have won over many fans in recent years, helped along by some tour supports with the likes of Will Young and Rumer, and the fact they can write truly melodic songs that take in classic American styles of gospel, country and soul, but all perfectly crafted pop gems.

A thing of rare beauty, Yolanda has gone to considerable lengths to protect her voice. “I worry about my voice, I had to find out more than what was available to help protect it. Adele lost her voice when I did some backing vocals for her and I was nattering on about losing my voice, and decided I needed [voice] therapy. On tour I get to test out my theories quite a lot… when everyone is coughing and spluttering around me, the colds are trying to get at my voice, so I get to test these theories out. A lot of cats are getting onto this stuff.”

In the Pines was recorded in the oil capital of California, Signal Hill, with The Black Crowes’ producer Marc Ford. “That was awesome. We’re massive Crowes fans. Essentially, we went there because we needed a certain level of objectivity. We wanted him to take us further on into our influences, into the things we love, it was a real eye opener – that experience of being produced.

The band’s influences are mainly old school. “I was curious when I was a kid – mostly through my friends, Stew’s family and friends. I got Dolly Parton from my mum’s collection and sang along to it – my voice is Dolly like,” she reckons. “For the new album we were looking to artists such as Neil Young, The Band, Delaney & Bonny, Mad Dogs and Englishmen [Joe Cocker’s infamous live band/album of the ‘70s].” It’s a far cry from the Bristol scene that famously gave us the likes of Massive Attack and Portishead. “Since that O Brother, Where Art Thou film came out there has been a real resurgence of Americana… It’s hit Bristol so much that someone coined the phrase Brashville – where Bristol meets Nashville. I think it’s happening everywhere. It’s down in no small measure to Gillian Welch and David Rawlings – they are my heroes. Most of the people I know who went to their gig had a nice little cry!”

Saturday 3 March, Latest Musicbar, 8pm, £6.50